2019 marks the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s moon landing. 50 years on, as technology has developed, the possibilities that space holds have multiplied, with governments and private companies attempting to take advantage of the opportunities on offer. From searching for water on one of Jupiter’s moons to building space hotels and lunar rovers, the race is on to innovate, unlock untapped commercial opportunities, and uncover more about the universe. These new developments will shape not only space, but life here on earth too.

This seminar will look at current and future developments in space technology and the effects that these advances may have on society. Lynn Zoenen will talk about the Japanese company ispace’s attempts to create a world where the earth and moon are part of the same ecosystem, beginning with their efforts to find water on the moon using the Hakuto space rover. Ian Crawford will then discuss the potential long-term scientific benefits of space resources.

About the contributors

Lynn Zoenen is Global Affairs Manager at the ispace, inc. She is in charge of Government Affairs, engaging with governments and space agencies to construct mission partnership frameworks and policies that promote the development of commercial lunar exploration and space resource utilisation. In addition, she coordinates partnering activities for ispace Europe’s exploration activities and contributes to ispace’s overall payload sales in Europe. Before joining ispace Europe, she contributed as an economic advisor to the strategic orientation of the Chamber of Commerce of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. She holds a Master’s Degree in International Political Economy from King’s College London, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Communications.

Ian Crawford is Professor of Planetary Science and Astrobiology at Birkbeck, University of London. He has advised the European Space Agency on future human space projects as a member of the Human Spaceflight Vision Group, as well as organising a number of symposiums and meetings on the subject. He is a strong proponent of increased UK involvement in space exploration, and has been actively involved in space missions such as the European Space Agency’s SMART1 lunar-orbiting spacecraft, and the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission. He is a former Vice-President of the Royal Astronomical Society, and is currently Chair of the lunar Sub-Commission of the Committee on Space Research.